A Thousand Different Words
by Jimelda
Summary: Jack/Kate drabbles. Chapter 44: "Pirate sails and comic book tales work wonders."
1. The Only Way

**Title: **The Only Way  
**Prompt: **magic  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **There is only one way to take back his mistakes.  
**Spoilers: **During 6.16 – _What They Died For  
_**A/N: **I've been really tempted to try one of these prompt fics for a while and finally decided to take a go at it. Some of the prompts are credited to _64damn_prompts _on livejournal.

* * *

Taking a drink from the cup held before him, he almost expects to feel a tingling sensation run through his veins. Desperate enough to be praying for magic, he knows it is the only way to fix what has been broken.

Not just himself, but all the lives surrounding him. Every single one has been damaged in some irreparable way, nearly killing him to see. And he wishes, futilely, for the power to mend them.

But even so, he needs the intensity of a thousand shooting stars to even begin repairing the telltale scars left behind. To even have a hope of fixing her.


	2. The Top Of The World

**Title: **The Top Of The World  
**Prompt: **relief  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack says goodbye.  
**Warning: **mentions of suicide  
**A/N: **This chapter was inspired by Imogen Heap's _Let Go _and the Dixie Chicks' _Top Of The World_.

* * *

Standing on top of the world, he watches life carry on beneath him. Will he be missed when he's gone? He knows the answer.

"Forgive me," he whispers to the night surrounding him, reveling in the emptiness; his body beginning to relax. Shutting down.

Finally, tears streaming across his face, a glorious sense of freedom washes over him. Overcome with relief, he barely notices his foot taking its final step off the ledge, his body landing, as broken and damaged as his spirit, on the concrete below.

All he feels is the sweet release as he leaves the world, and his seemingly endless pain – now gone forever – behind.


	3. Trying To Forget

**Title: **Trying To Forget  
**Prompt: **dream  
**Words: **200  
**Summary: **Jack doesn't want to remember.  
**Spoilers: **Sometime after 4.10 – _Something Nice Back Home  
_**A/N: **Inspired by Thriving Ivory's _Angels On The Moon._

* * *

All he has eyes for is her. She is floating, naked, in front of him. Tantalizingly close yet impossibly far away, she calls his name.

Although he cannot hear her, he watches the words form on her lips, imagining how they will sound. He wants to touch her, god, his body is yearning to fold her into his arms. Yet just as she drifts into his embrace, close enough for him to smell the intoxicating scent of her skin, his alarm goes off.

Rolling over, shooting a glare at the clock, he tries to hold the last few vestiges of the dream in his mind. But soon the shakes are bad enough to force him out of bed and he stumbles, blind with need, to the bathroom.

By the time he has swallowed enough pills to calm his unsteady hands, his head is spinning so much he doesn't remember his dream at all. He doesn't even remember falling asleep. Most of all, he doesn't remember her.

And if he can't remember her hair, her eyes, or the feel of her skin pressing against his, he doesn't have to miss her either.

That is why he keeps doing this to himself.


	4. The Edge Of Forever

**Title: **The Edge Of Forever  
**Prompt: **sunset  
**Words: **140  
**Summary: **Kate witnesses an incredible sight on the beach.  
**A/N: **Okay, so technically this is not a Jate chapter, but I wanted to post it all the same. I actually got the idea for this while driving home today; I guess it's proof that sometimes nature itself can be more beautiful than fiction.

* * *

The sunset colours the clouds pink, giving them a cotton candy appearance (_a bolder version_). It reminds her of home. Not the view, just the colour. It's warm, clean, floral; an uncommon appearance on the Island.

(_There should be some tropical flowers here, but it's mostly just green._)

The entire sky seems to be angled sideways; tilted. She feels like she's falling off the edge of the world. Slowly a bright red tint spreads across the horizon, replacing the soft pink; as if the atmosphere itself is bleeding.

She imagines the planets fighting with each other, chaos reigning in the cosmos above her head, taking away the world; leaving nothing behind but this expanse of rock, surrounded on either side by an endless ocean.

Her scenario, of course, begs the question: is this heaven or hell? (_Or maybe something more_.)


	5. So Much Further To Go

**Title: **So Much Further To Go  
**Prompt: **passion  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack's thoughts on finding Kate in his apartment.  
**Spoilers: **5.06 - _316_

* * *

Kisses, light as feathers (_rough as stone_) push all thoughts from his mind. His only focus is her, his world turning upside down as, together, they fall backwards into a realm dominated by infinite passion.

When it is over, he wraps his arms tightly around her, pulling her close; breathing in her familiar scent. It feels so good having her warm body pressed against his again, but, while he has imagined this scene a thousand different ways, he has never imagined her crying.

Her tears, leaving wet trails down his skin, remind him of how much is still broken, and how much is left to fix. (_His fault._)


	6. Falling Apart

**Title: **Falling Apart  
**Prompt: **wreckage  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack and Kate finally come to an end.  
**A/N: **Inspired by Kris Allen's _The Truth_.

* * *

He watches, almost from a distance, as each day their relationship falls apart further; ripping at the seams. (_Too fast, he thinks_.)

It comes crashing down around him, unable to hold up under the stress any longer; he isn't nearly as surprised as he should be. Staring at the wreckage, a final reminder of what he once cherished, the only thing he feels is numb. He can't really believe what he's seeing; it's nothing but a dream.

Sooner or later, reality takes over again, reminding him that he and Kate are truly finished. (_There's nothing he can do about it, so he would be wise not to try_.)


	7. Escape With Me

**Title: **Escape With Me  
**Prompt: **campout  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack, Kate and Aaron entertain themselves on a gloomy evening.  
**A/N: **In celebration of the Lost season 6 DVD release, I am posting two new chapters today! I highly recommend watching the special features, especially "The New Man In Charge." It was quite an eye-opener.  
**A/N 2: **This chapter is for **MorningGlory2**, who requested a happier drabble. I hope this will suffice.  
**A/N 3: **This is what happens at two in the morning after listening to the rain for much too long.

* * *

Raindrops lash against the windows, changing tempo as though switching radio stations; from an angry giant slamming against the glass to a kitten lapping up milk from a china bowl (_pink tongue against white liquid; connecting with a staccato slurping noise_).

But they are safe.

Hiding, children playing fort underneath a tablecloth, from the torrential downpour raging outside.

A little boy nestled between them, his even breathing out of place amidst their sharp intakes of breath (_filled with uncontainable love and desire_). Arms wrap around his sleeping form, hands entwine, the fire casts a warm glow; she decides rain clouds don't have to damper an occasion after all.


	8. Foolish Hope

**Title: **Foolish Hope  
**Prompt: **explore  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate begins her legacy of running.

* * *

As a child she explored every inch of her small town, if only to avoid going home. Her summers were spent biking anywhere and everywhere, the hot sun beating against her back, the heat catching in her dark, wavy hair.

Some days she wanted nothing more than to bike right out of town, stopping only when her feet could pedal no further.

But she always came back. Each night she'd walk up the steps to that damn house, allowing herself a brief moment of hope for things to be different.

And each night, alone in the dark, listening to the noises from another room, she was proven wrong.


	9. A Direction Of Anger

**Title: **A Direction Of Anger  
**Prompt: **hate  
**Words: **150  
**Summary: **Jack needs Kate to hate him.  
**A/N:** inspired by Blue October's _Hate Me_.

* * *

These days he never calls her when he is sober.

Liquid courage, a few glasses of alcohol gives him the nerve to dial her number at two in the morning. As he listens to her protest on the other end of the line (_goodnight, Jack_), it loosens his tongue enough so he ends up saying things he doesn't mean to.

But no matter how much he regrets it in the morning, he doesn't break the cycle. He only drinks more, calling her at even later hours of the night. He doesn't know why, but listening to her voice filled with anger, directed only at him, lifts the weight that is constantly pressing heavily on his chest.

Subconsciously, it is almost as though he wants Kate to be angry with him. Because if she hates him as much as he thinks she does, then he has no reason to hate himself.


	10. A Recurring Pattern

**Title: **A Recurring Pattern  
**Prompt: **broken  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack and Kate's meeting place.  
**Spoilers: **During 3.23 – _Through the Looking Glass, part 2_

* * *

Each time they meet at the airport, him only convincing her to come when he sounds exceptionally pathetic, they know it is doing more harm than good. They're taking one step forward, two more steps back in their relationship. (_On one hand, at least she is willing to see him. On the other, their meetings always end badly._)

She is usually reduced to tears, he only becomes more disgusted with himself.

Sometimes she wonders why she bothers to come at all; seeing him so broken, the look in his eyes, only breaks her hear in turn.

(_No matter how they try, neither has the strength to stay away._)


	11. The Eye Of The Storm

**Title: **The Eye Of The Storm  
**Prompt: **destroy  
**Words: **130  
**Summary: **Like a natural disaster, Jack leaves a trail of destruction behind him.  
**A/N: **Inspired by the Shiny Toy Guns' _When Did This Storm Begin?_  
**A/N 2: **It seems this fic is becoming more than just Jate. While there are so many experiences that Jack and Kate share, there are also many moments in their separate lives which hold special significance. With these drabbles I am aiming to capture those moments, together and apart.  
**A/N 3: **Thanks for all the great reviews everyone. You make me want to keep writing. :)

* * *

He stands in the center of the hurricane, (_undamaged_) as the world around him is destroyed; yet inside he is shattering.

He is the eye of the storm that only affects himself. Everything revolves around him, but he is a part of it no longer; he is an entirely separate entity, not needing whirlwinds to bring him down. (_He is doing that all by himself._)

He is the strike of lightning that hits anything in his path, setting it to flames, no matter how much he wants to leave it standing.

He is the tidal wave that crashes down on the shore, reducing the land to ruins. The flooded streets left behind are the only sign of his presence; a trail of tears following in his wake.

Out of control.


	12. A Reminder Of Home

**Title: **A Reminder Of Home  
**Prompt: **comfort  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate misses about Jack.  
**Spoilers: **Post 4.10 – _Something Nice Back Home_

* * *

When she was with him, she didn't have to try so hard. She could throw on a bit of makeup in the morning or lounge around the house in sweats and a ratty old t-shirt. It made no difference; he treated her the same despite her appearance.

Whenever he stared at her, his eyes reflecting nothing but love and admiration, his gaze making her blush, he'd say he was lucky to be with her; he could care less about how she dressed.

He could do that for her, take away the world, make her feel at home anywhere.

Looking back now, she misses those small comforts the most.


	13. These Things Will Change

**Title: **These Things Will Change  
**Prompt: **change  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate becomes a different person for Jack.  
**Spoilers: **Sometime during or after 4.10 – _Something Nice Back Home  
_**Disclaimer: **The title comes from Taylor Swift's song _Change, _which I have no claims to whatsoever.

* * *

She tries to change for him.

She makes herself stop running, so they can build a life together. She buys a house, hoping one day he will get to see it, so they can have a home together.

She becomes a mother, if not for him than because of him, so they can raise a child together. She finally chooses him over Sawyer, devoting all her attention to him, so there will be no need for jealousy.

The only thing she doesn't change for him is the one thing he changes for her; the way she loves him.

(_It turns out that's the only thing that really matters_.)


	14. Adrift On A Winged Memory

**Title: **Adrift On A Winged Memory  
**Prompt: **soaring  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack and Kate spend a day at the beach.

* * *

Her chin resting on her knees, arms wrapped around legs, she stares out at the churning water; watching couple after couple stroll along the shoreline (_the ideal romantic date_), remembering another day spent here not so long ago.

He chased her down the beach, her shrieks echoing behind her, cold waves lapping at her feet. His strong arms lifted her (_she weighted nothing more than a feather_), twirling her round and round.

Her laughter filled the air, helping them both soar. Feeling nothing but the wind beneath her feet, imagining she could reach up and touch the sky, she knew what it felt like to be in love.


	15. Never Letting Go

**Title: **Never Letting Go  
**Prompt: **acceptance  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **The Island draws her closer.  
**Spoilers: **3.23 – _Through The Looking Glass, part 2_

* * *

Driving down the highway to visit Cassidy, she eyes trees lining the road on either side of her. Nothing like the jungle she once faced on a daily basis, the forest brings back memories nonetheless.

She pulls over, the expanse of green ahead of her, awash in memories. In a way, she envies those who never got away, who still face the Island's inexplicable pull head-on, instead of subconsciously trying to repress it (_something she is trying, and failing, to do_).

She allows herself to think briefly that the others might have it easier after all; that maybe Jack was right. (_Maybe they do need to go back._)


	16. That Which Remains

**Title: **That Which Remains  
**Prompt: **furniture  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate's only reminder of Jack is her memories.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17,18 – _The End_

* * *

His empty seat draws her attention, a magnet pulling her in its direction. She can still picture him sitting there; she can close her eyes and hear his laugh, echoing through the kitchen as they eat dinner together.

The last remnants of conversation centered around this very chair days, weeks, months (_has it been that long?_) ago flow through her mind. Their very weight brings her to her knees, crushing her underneath a pile of guilt and sorrow. (_Any reminder of him does that now_.)

She wonders, albeit a tad longingly, if seeing ghosts wouldn't be such a curse after all. If only she could be that lucky.


	17. Two Worlds Collide

**Title: **Two Worlds Collide  
**Prompt: **comparison  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Sarah and Kate have more in common than they know.  
**Spoilers: **3.22 – _Through The Looking Glass, part 1_

_

* * *

_

"Are you drinking again?'

Her question reminds him of another, not so long ago, with much the same outcome.

Kate and Sarah, separated by a vast canyon of difference, are more alike than possible when he is involved. Reasoning behind their decisions contrast like ink splots on a pristine piece of paper – one is trying to protect her son (_and herself_), the other wants no contact with him at all – but the outcome remains the same.

(_At least, from where he stands_.)

They cut him out of their lives, giving themselves peace of mind; leaving him standing alone, waiting for forgiveness he craves, but knows will never come.


	18. A Better Drug Than Love

**Title: **A Better Drug Than Love  
**Prompt: **addiction  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack wants to crave something other than Kate.

* * *

He smokes, one cigarette a day at first. He's disgusted by the taste but keeps going, needing the addiction of something other than her. Maybe if he smokes enough, the tarry substance seeping into his lungs, it will kill him faster. Hopefully death will be painful; it's what he deserves.

He takes pills, more and more each day, to distract himself from the gaping hole of her absence. He knows it will be easy to die if he takes enough. But he waits, needing a reason to act so drastically.

He drinks, a bottle or two daily, trying to erase the hold she maintains on him.

Let go.


	19. The Truth Behind The Lie

**Title: **The Truth Behind The Lie  
**Prompt: **powerless  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate could keep Jack by her side if she wants.  
**Spoilers: **After 5.04 – _The Little Prince_

_

* * *

_

She watches him go, able to stop him, letting him leave anyway. She lies, saying she wants him gone; he believes her.

At first she hates herself, picking up the phone to bring him back, knowing he will come. But as much as she wants him here, it is his home no longer.

When she sees him again, she is the one believing his lies. (_His eyes shift guiltily, saying he cares about Aaron; she pretends she doesn't see._) She nearly invites him home, powerless to stop hope from blooming in her chest.

He holds the power now, using it to break her the way she broke him.


	20. The Ache Of Regret

**Title: **The Ache Of Regret  
**Prompt: **surrender  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack and Kate's first time.  
**Spoilers: **Post 3.06 – _I Do  
_**Warning: **implied sex  
**A/N: **Thank you for the lovely reviews. :)

* * *

Sunlight dances across bare skin, giving her an otherworldly glow; peach colour molding into green jungle hues, she blends right in (_an earthly goddess_).

Lowering her onto the mossy forest floor, he undresses her slowly, memorizing every inch; reveling in her complete (_utter_) surrender to passion. She pulls him closer with unimaginable ferocity, trying to escape inside his skin. He trails kisses along her collarbone, pausing to shiver as delicious whispers fill his ear.

_I'm sorry it wasn't you_.

He tastes the sincere apology on her lips as she feels the bittersweet sense of his release inside her: she is forgiven. (_Maybe not completely, but it's a start_.)


	21. Speed Demon

**Title: **Speed Demon  
**Prompt: **crash  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate's first time driving.

* * *

Tearing down the loan dark highway, wondering how fast she can push the engine, she doesn't see the bump in the road. Her scream dying in her throat, she flips into the ditch (_metal converging on rubber_); the world at an angle.

Diane comes to pick her up at the station, her rage only a fraction of what's waiting at home. (S_he did ruin his truck, after all_).

The bruises take weeks to fade, reminders of her mistake. Yet she longs to be behind the wheel again, the freedom just beyond her reach almost a physical ache.

She won't get caught this time; she only wants to run.


	22. The Dark Side Of Reality

**Title: **The Dark Side Of Reality  
**Prompt: **choice  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack questions Kate's choice.  
**Spoilers:** After 4.10 – Something Nice Back Home

* * *

He sees himself as the devil with the angel's face; promising never to hurt her. Isn't that exactly what he's doing?

She'd have been better off with _him_; the lighter side of darkness. (_Not the safer choice but the wiser?_) She seemed happier then, wilder somehow. If she'd chosen him, _Sawyer_, she'd still be on the Island. The con man wouldn't have worked so hard to take her off it, knowing she'd regret the decision later.

Jack isn't sure if he himself would've left without her. But she did come with him; he lost her anyway. Repayment for forcing her to make the wrong choice?

(_Karma's a bitch._)


	23. What Lies Below The Surface

**Title: **What Lies Below The Surface  
**Prompt: **danger  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate was never afraid of the water.  
**Spoilers: **6.17,18 – _The End_

_

* * *

_

As a child, she'd launch herself from atop the public pool slide, relishing in the cool blue liquid curving around her. Sinking.

She's never feared for herself; her loved ones an entirely different matter. Watching Jack's strokes cut swaths amongst vicious swells, she finally understands the ocean's true power.

In the end she jumps off the cliff, hitting the raging ocean below, knowing he's been taken from her through no fault of nature. If not already, then soon. (_Tell me I'm gonna see you again; silence answer enough_.) For the first time, falling beneath the water's depths, she has no desire to resurface.

The ocean swallows her whole.


	24. Take Me Away From Here

**Title: **Take Me Away From Here  
**Prompt: **avoidance  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate takes off again.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End  
_**A/N: **This chapter is part one of two related drabbles.

* * *

She grabs anything in reach, shoving it into a suitcase much too small to hold the most memorable years of her life. She carefully places a few pictures on top; one of her truly important possessions. (_The other is the ring on her finger, never removed since his death_.)

One last glance at the house (_once a home, now a cage_) fills her with regret; she's leaving while Claire and Aaron are out, a note on the table her only farewell.

She keeps walking; lobbing her bag onto the seat, shoving the keys in the ignition, revving the engine. Gunning down the driveway.

Gotta get out of here.


	25. Let Me Escape This Pain

**Title: **Let Me Escape This Pain  
**Prompt: **reminder  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate has a specific direction in mind.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End  
_**A/N: **Part two of two.

* * *

Glad to be on the road again, leaving her pain behind (_so_ _she tells herself_), she races down the highway; the sunset bathing everything in a golden hue the only indication of time passing. That's when her mind finally recognizes the direction she's headed: Miami.

He's there; wanting to see Rachel, to deliver the news himself. She worries what he'll say to her sudden appearance.

_(Damn Freckles, can't stay in one place can ya'?_)

She'll go anyway, proving him right; his presence a final reminder that the man she once loved did exist. Her proof lying only a few hours away.

She wills the car to go faster.


	26. Give Me A Reason To Stay

**Title: **Give Me A Reason To Stay  
**Prompt: **flight  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate starts flying again.  
**A/N: **Another related part for the previous two drabbles.

* * *

The plane trips start after her visit with Sawyer (_brief due to his less than enthusiastic reaction_) and continue for years. She never enjoys the flight; hands always gripping the seat, waiting for turbulence to send her spiraling to the Island again (_as Jack once did, except she doesn't want to go back_). But she keeps flying, the constant fear a punishment of sorts for leaving her loved ones behind; dreading the moment she will land and face the world ahead.

Her parole already broken, she doesn't care who's chasing her now, never staying in one place long enough to. What does it matter? She isn't needed anyway.


	27. Your Voice Calls Me Home

**Title: **Your Voice Calls Me Home  
**Prompt: **united  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate comes back.  
**A/N: **A final epilogue to what has become more of a mini-series than was originally meant to be two drabbles.

* * *

A letter sends her back. How he found her, she'll never know, but she returns.

"Aunt Kate," he says, remembering after all these years. She fights against the name already on her lips. _Goober. _Instead, "How is she?"

A heart attack, sudden and nearly fatal. Brought on by stress, the doctors say. (_She knows better; loneliness more of a killer_.) Her body is frail. Golden blonde hair flecked with gray splays across her pillow, eyes no longer bright stare unseeingly ahead; almost gone.

They sit together, each grasping a hand tightly, refusing to voice their thoughts: just the two of us again. Soon. (_Like it used to be_.)


	28. Amidst A Shower Of Rose Petals

**Title: **Amidst A Shower Of Rose Petals  
**Prompt: **water  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate discovers a different way to relax.  
**Spoilers: **2.04 – _Everybody Hates Hugo_

* * *

The moan she utters is almost guttural as drops of scalding hot water cascade upon her; her first shower in forty six days. Determined to make it worthwhile, she lathers shampoo, fingers fighting against weeks of knots.

The door opens as she turns off the water.

A blush immediately rises to her cheeks (_his as well_) while they talk; meaningless words in place of uncomfortable silences. He's nearly out the door before she calls him back with surprising boldness. The towel hits the floor in a frenzy of passion.

She dries off much later, face flushed, feeling more relaxed than before; knowing her first shower can't even compare.


	29. Watch Me Take The Lead

**Title: **Watch Me Take The Lead  
**Prompt: **journey  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack and Kate share a look  
**Spoilers: **3.22 – _Through The Looking Glass, Part 1  
_**A/N 1: **As requested by _LostInLost18_.  
**A/N 2: **This little collection of drabbles has now reached the hundred-review mark. Thank you to all of those of you who have been kind enough to share your opinions thus far.

* * *

Sunlight glinting from matted chocolate curls, their eyes meet across the crowd of flesh; forging a connection. Past the rolling waves and raging storms he sees exasperation riding a thin line of hope; feelings mutual. (_Another adventure, maybe the last_.) Drowning in a fierce need to restore her faith, he'll tell her soon. The truth.

A half-smile lingers around the edges of his sun-dry lips, one she's missed. Despite his doubts, she's already hooked; a fish on a line waiting to be reeled in. Their trip the perfect time for expression, trembles running along her spine at his imagined touch.

_My very own angel, I'll follow you anywhere._


	30. The Arms Of An Angel

**Title: **The Arms Of An Angel  
**Prompt: **reincarnation  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate makes an unexpected friend.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End  
_**A/N: **Inspired by Sarah McLachlan's _Angel_.  
**A/N 2: **This is probably, in my opinion, one of the best drabbles I have written so far, so I wanted to post it as the thirtieth chapter. What a milestone, I never would have made it this far without the support of all you guys. Thank you for everything! :)

* * *

She stares unseeingly at the flickering fluorescent light above her, words as cold and harsh as her surroundings echoing through her ears.

_Miscarriage. Reduced white blood cell count. Lucky to be alive._

They mean nothing to her, she only knows her beautiful unborn child (_her precious Davey Samuel Shephard_) is gone. Carried off to another world without spending time in this one.

Exactly five months, three weeks later, a dog appears on her doorstep. Shaggy fur coated in layers of dirt; bedraggled as she imagines herself to be. Beneath his matted twists of hair, his eyes are the strangest mix of green and brown.

(_Just like his father's_.)


	31. Counting The Ways

**Title: **Counting The Ways  
**Prompt: **confession  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **The different ways Jack says "I love you."  
**Spoilers: **3.23 – _Through The Looking Glass, Part 2 _and 4.10 – _Something Nice Back Home  
_**A/N: **A slight continuation of _Watch Me Take The Lead_. Takes place both on and off the Island.  
**A/N 2: **Inspired by Rihanna and Eminem's _Love The Way You Lie, Part II.  
_**A/N 3:** Thank you for the reviews.

* * *

One time in truth; words spilling out of his lips. Her surprise rivaling only his, he runs, astonished at his outburst. Leaves her standing alone. (_Confusion_.)

Once in anger, his fist against the wall, he shouts (_throws_) the phrase at her. She glares, not fighting back; knowing better than to argue. A single rose rests on the table afterwards, a white flag. Tears drip onto the stem; sorrow feeding their dysfunctional relationship.

One time in lust, crushing himself against her (_god, I love you_). Alcohol on his breath making her sick. She lets him in anyway.

One time in love, kisses trailing along her spine. No longer enough.


	32. The Mark Of Time Passing

**Title: **The Mark Of Time Passing  
**Prompt: **season  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate visits Jack.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End  
_**Warning: **mentions of suicide

* * *

Wind whispers through leafed treetops while pale hands yield against hewn stone. Ruby red lips tasting of salt mutter futilely to dead air. _Can you hear me? _Fingers dig into freshly tumbled earth. (_Lifeline_.)

Rain glistens on branches resting above, dripping from the overhang as human expressions of love and sorrow merge with teardrops from the sky. The world itself is mourning.

Leaves covering the lush grass, drops of crimson stain red; a pool of regret (_loss_) spreading its wings. A thud against the dirt follows a brief sigh of release; the last breath of a dying woman carried away on the breeze.

Begging to see him again.


	33. You Have Always Been With Me

**Title: **You Have Always Been With Me  
**Prompt: **forget  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate struggles to create memories of Jack.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End_

_

* * *

_

The first time she can't remember the sound of his voice, she downs glass after glass of bourbon until she can't think at all. (_She does later; pain only made worse by wounds reopening._) Next goes his scent, and the smile he saved just for her.

When she can no longer recall the precise colour of his eyes, she stuffs a photograph of him in her purse, ready at a moment's notice for a memory lapse.

Until her final breaths rattle painfully from her chest, she holds onto lingering memories of him; only to realize it doesn't matter: he's standing right here. (_The picture didn't do him justice_.)


	34. Remaining Untouchable

**Title: **Remaining Untouchable  
**Prompt: **together  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate's life was irreversibly changed the day she met Jack.  
**Spoilers: **6.17, 18 – _The End_

_

* * *

_

She finds herself lying on a blanket of stars, the entire universe reaching out beneath her; the physical realm of Earth (_here, an endless ocean_) waiting above. Her very existence turned upside down with him. Watching the sun rise and set across the contours of his face, a rumble emits from below; all she once knew crumbling at a single glance.

Their first encounter – a secluded moment she'll treasure for eternity – sent stars exploding with the brilliance of unexploited passion. Soulmates, reaching across time and space, she takes comfort in knowing wherever he is now, he's watching over her. As surely as she's watching and waiting for him.


	35. Can't Keep My Feet On The Ground

**Title: **Can't Keep My Feet On The Ground  
**Prompt: **adventure  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack and Kate take a road trip.  
**Spoilers: **4.10 – _Something Nice Back Home_

_

* * *

_

Leaving Aaron with Veronica for the weekend, they take off; a moment of spontaneity more fitting of Kate than Jack. (Sh_e leads anyway, a change of pace for them both_.)

With no set destination they head north, towards mountains and chalets, glowing fireplaces and bottles of chilled wine. He's restless after one evening, sending them back on the road again; this time with rolling plains and the promise of desert sunsets ahead.

After two days, she misses her baby terribly.

"Let's go _home_," she pleads (_liking how the word rolls off her tongue_). His eyes, staring forward, tighten. This time she isn't the one who wants to run.


	36. A Rose By Any Other Name

**Title: **A Rose By Any Other Name  
**Prompt:** distraction  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate takes comfort from one particular source.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End_**  
A/N:** Thank you for the reviews.

* * *

She doesn't watch television anymore; romance taunts her with love too far out of reach, horror she experienced for herself, comedy doesn't make her laugh (_not much can these days_), sci-fi is just another, more twisted version of the Island.

Music is the same; rap songs saturated with anger (_she has enough already, thank you_), each love story ending too perfectly. She had her chance to live a fairy tale, and let it slip away.

There is one novel she reads over and over again: Romeo and Juliet, the modern version of Adam and Eve. A tragedy that fits her life all too well.

_Wherefore art thou Romeo?_


	37. Things We Can't Ignore

**Title: **Things We Can't Ignore  
**Prompt: **war  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack was more than a casualty.  
**Spoilers: **6.17, 18 – _The End  
_**A/N: **Inspired by Crash Parallel's _Casualties of War, _which is also where the title comes from.  
**A/N 2: **A prelude of sorts to The Mark Of Time Passing.  
**A/N 3: MorningGlory2**, this isn't exactly a Jack and Aaron drabble, but it does contain happy-ish Jate. I am working on your request.

* * *

Scars on her back are reminders of the violence (_both silent and outspoken_); only one of her sacrifices. The other is him. A casualty in a war never meant to be fought, never intended to be his – like so many others. As if any of them had a choice. All he'll ever be: a sacrifice. An unnamed victim, a fallen soldier.

Not to her.

Watching the night sky – counting stars – she remembers. Unconventional meetings and spilled _I love yous_. Black thread and cages. The makings of her future and past are engraved in the very fiber of memories left behind.

Even in death, he'll always be her life.


	38. Chasing Dreams With Fishing Nets

**Title: **Chasing Dreams With Fishing Nets  
**Prompt: **remorse  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Jack's final moments.  
**Spoilers: **6.17, 18 – _The End  
_**A/N: **The lyrics are from Crash Parallel's _Rain Delays_. I have no claims to them.  
**A/N 2: **Thank you for your reviews.

* * *

Blood dripping between fingers, he staggers against bamboo stalks. Staining the dirt red (_as he_ _tainted the lives of whomever he touched_).

The tragic hero in his own story; his fatal flaw brings about his downfall.

Body collapsing against rough, tumbled earth – position all-too familiar – an ear presses to the ground; trying futilely to hear the Island one last time. (_Did he in the first place_?)

Only regret is felt, coupled with a longing for someone far out of reach. The mistake he cannot erase.

A plane flies overhead. He prays (_irony not lost on him_) she made it on. The world fades away before guilt overwhelms him.


	39. Sweet Dreams Are Made Of You

**Title: **Sweet Dreams Are Made Of You  
**Prompt: **illusion  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate and Jack see each other again.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End_

* * *

Warm rays of light wrap tendrils around exposed flesh, enveloping them in a halo of comfort. Bare backs pressing against wispy blades of grass underneath, they lose themselves in each other. Her hand runs along his cheek, fingertips tickling against stubble she refuses to let him shave away. He tangles a fist in her unruly hair, twirling a strand against his face; breathing in her scent.

The sky gradually darkens; stars that dare to shine emerging from beneath the blanket of night and showering across their vision. (_Make a wish_.)

"Let me stay here with you," she pleads into his chest, deepening the moment. She'll awaken soon anyway.


	40. Childhood Mythology Revisited

**Title: **Childhood Mythology Revisited  
**Prompt: **#12/ _children  
_**Words: **108  
**Summary: **The beginning of Jack's desire to go back.  
**A/N: **Inspired by _Panic! At The Disco's _Build God, Then We'll Talk.  
**A/N 2: **As a special treat to celebrate the fortieth chapter, this drabble is mean to incorporate not only Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz, but also the Sound of Music's _My Favourite Things_

* * *

He dreams.

Of raindrops collected along bricked yellow roads heading to lands of wonderlust and chocolate curls; desires beckoning. Numb feet traverse over rose petals morphing into thorns, each point bringing to mind a face tinged with disappointment. Guiding him onward, words backlit by deceit.

White rabbits in ruby red slippers chase phantom kittens in business attire; corporal messengers of long-begotten dreams. The maze's center holds a package tied with string. Opened (_Pandora's box_) to release hidden demons onto unsuspecting passersby; failures reincarnate.

Always ending the same; clouds of smoke engulfing a blonde-haired child. Blue eyes the last to disappear into suffocating fog.

Never meant to raise him.


	41. Awaken Me From This Nightmare

**Title: **Awaken Me From This Nightmare  
**Prompt: **memory**  
Words: **108  
**Summary: **This so-called "afterlife" isn't what they expected.  
**Spoilers: **Post 6.17, 18 – _The End_

* * *

Hands squeeze tightly, entwined as anchors of support; the light encompassing them, bright glows seeping into every pore. Flashes spiral outwards, glimpses of past lives and lives yet untouched, more recent experiences standing out amongst the rest.

Gradually the spectrum begins to dim, revealing entirely new surroundings. Faint ocean whispers drift forwards, promises of sandy beaches and scorching suns follow. A small cottage resting on a hilltop draws their attention.

While they gaze, infinite luxury ahead, the picture transforms. Rolling waves twist into raging seas, tall grassy plains morph into a leafy green jungle, coming to collect them.

Right back where they started. (_Do we deserve this hell?_)


	42. The Changing Of The Tide

**Title: **The Changing Of The Tide  
**Prompt: **telephone  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate's actions never come without a price.  
**Spoilers: **5.11 – _Whatever Happened, Happened  
_**A/N: **Inspired by Owl City's _If My Heart Was a House_.  
**A/N 2: **No, I have no dropped off the face of the Earth. However, I am shamefully behind on review replies and PMs. Someday I hope to get back to you.. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support.

* * *

She's leaving the store as the downpour starts. Racing toward her ultimate destination, she jams herself inside the booth, heart in her throat at the familiarity. (_This time it's her conscience chasing her_).

Hastily making plans, "See you on Saturday," she heads home, not about to lend reason to suspicion. She catches sight of him standing in the driveway, certain she's been discovered. Instead he folds her into an embrace; clothes soaking wet and eyes bright with excitement.

He leads her onto the street (_a dancefloor_), whirling her across it while heavens shower down upon them.

"I missed you today." Even the raindrops cannot wash away her guilt.


	43. Holding Out For A Fairytale

**Title: **Holding Out For A Fairytale  
**Prompt: **garden  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Kate and guava seeds.  
**Spoilers: **Up to and including 6.17, 18 – _The End_

* * *

She cradles blueish-black things in her hand. Stands above an open hole in the earth; too small for a grave but all she sees is a body, battered and broken, inside. A diamond band sparkles against her neck, the constant warmth her reminder of an unwavering presence. Every _yes _that rolls from her lips tastes of him.

_Why hold on to something that makes you feel sad? _Even now she doesn't understand. Is it out of hope? She knows it's not. Her hope, her fairytale, disappeared three heel clicks too long ago. She's five hours past midnight without the flick of a wand.

She plants the seeds anyway.


	44. Doesn't Make Us Together

**Title: **Doesn't Make Us Together  
**Prompt: **comic  
**Words: **108  
**Summary: **Their roles have always been reversed.  
**Spoilers: **4.10 – _Something Nice Back Home _and 5.06 - _316  
_**A/N: **What's this, I'm actually updating? Surprise surprise. I guess I have a few small tidbits left in me after all. One of these days I would love to get back into writing drabbles on a regular basis, so if anyone has a request or two, feel free to let me know.

* * *

She builds him a tree-house, pirate sails and comic book tales work wonders to repair the empty voids and aches. Jack teaches him to cook, a talent he'll never let her forget. She's his practice for every soccer game (_they're both in the stands cheering_).

It's a long-standing joke of role-reversal, each filling holes the other would have left gaping.

Kate leaves her son because she has to (_tears in her eyes as her heart slowly crumbles to dust_). Jack leaves them both by choice; without shedding a drop.

_Finally we play by the rules_, she thinks, the plane lurching steadily upward, tinted glasses hiding fresh salt trails.


End file.
